Top congressional Dems praise Biden for stepping aside — but also decline to endorse Kamala Harris
Top Democrats in Congress unanimously praised President Biden for abandoning his 2024 re-election campaign — but stopped short of endorsing his running-mate, Vice President Kamala Harris, to replace him as their party’s leader.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and House Speaker emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) had pressured Biden, 81, to withdraw based on disastrous polling numbers and public concerns about his mental fitness in the weeks since his abysmal June 27 debate against former President Donald Trump.
Each, along with former President Barack Obama, celebrated his decision to announce the suspension of his campaign on Sunday — without immediately backing his endorsement of Harris to replace him.
“Joe Biden has not only been a great president and a great legislative leader but he’s a truly amazing human being,” Schumer said in a statement on X. “His decision of course was not easy, but he once again put his country, his party, and our future first. Joe, today shows you are a true patriot and great American.”
“In less than one term, he rescued the nation from a once-in-a-century pandemic, brought the economy roaring back from the brink of recession, enacted consequential legislation for everyday Americans and saved our democracy by defeating the Insurrectionist-in-Chief,” added Jeffries on X. “We are forever grateful.”
“God blessed America with Joe Biden’s greatness and goodness,” Pelosi also gushed on X. “His legacy of vision, values and leadership make him one of the most consequential Presidents in American history.”
Among senior congressional Democrats, only Rep. Jim Clyburn was quick to follow Biden’s lead and endorse Harris.
The latest on President Biden’s decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race:
- Biden drops out of presidential race: live updates
- Kamala Harris campaign flooded with ‘record-breaking’ $81 million in donations in first 24 hours after Biden drops out
- Top Dems threatened to forcibly remove Biden from office unless he resigned, set him up to fail at Trump debate: sources
- Schumer, Pelosi played ‘good cop, bad cop’ to convince Biden to drop out with ex-speaker stating, ‘Easy way or the hard way’
- Trump and JD Vance accuse Dems of leading ‘coup’ against Biden, call to ‘invoke the 25th Amendment’
“One of President Biden’s first decisions as the nominee was to select a running mate that he believed possessed the values and vision necessary to continue this country’s pursuit toward a ‘more perfect Union,’” Clyburn (D-SC) said in a statement.
“I echo the good judgment he demonstrated in selecting Vice President Harris to lead this nation alongside him, and I am proud to follow his lead in support of her candidacy to succeed him as the Democratic Party’s 2024 nominee for President,” he added.
Though calls to push Biden off the ballot had reached a fever pitch in Congress before the president stepped aside, some Democrats lamented the move.
“Well I hope the geniuses that pushed the most consequential President of our lifetime out, have a plan,” Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) bemoaned on X.
“Joe wasn’t the problem… dems were,” she said before going on to blast her fellow lawmakers.
“I know one thing, I will only work for @KamalaHarris! If it’s anyone OTHER than her, enjoy campaign season… I hope all of my disenchanted colleagues are able to find some walking shoes and get to work because I WILL NOT! FULL [stop]”
“Squad” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), one of the last Democrats standing to give a full-throated defense of Biden’s candidacy, had not released a statement more than three hours after the president’s announcement.
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), another strong defender of Biden, riffed to Semafor in a statement how Biden’s departure was so unlike Sen. Bob Menendez’s (D-NJ) decision to remain in Congress following his conviction last week of federal bribery charges.
What to know about President Biden's decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race:
- President Biden announced Sunday he is dropping out of the 2024 presidential race — after weeks of prominent Democrats and donors calling on him to withdraw following his disastrous performance in the first presidential debate.
- In a letter posted on X Sunday afternoon, Biden admitted that it is in the “best interest of my party and country” for him to step down as the Democratic nominee.
- Biden wrote that he intends to serve out the remainder of his term and will address the country on his decision later this week.
- In a follow-up X post, Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the suddenly open Democratic nomination. “Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year,” the president wrote.
- Former President Donald Trump reacted to the news by labeling Biden the “worst president in the history of our country” in a call with CNN.
“People pushed out an honorable man, loving father and a great president before an absolute sleazeball like Menendez. Congratulations,” Fetterman said.
Even some who had publicly called for Biden to stand down did not explicitly endorse Harris.
“I am confident in our ability to beat Donald Trump,” said Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.). “Our party has many capable, proven leaders — Vice President Harris among them. We have a deep bench of leaders who will carry on the Biden legacy and inspire the voters we need to deliver the White House.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a close ally of Ocasio-Cortez in Congress, thanked Biden for having “served our country with honor and dignity” and being “the most pro-working class president in modern American history” — but did not support Harris publicly either.
Biden endorsed Harris minutes after announcing his departure from the race against Trump, and shortly after she posted on X that she was “honored” to have his vote of confidence and her “intention is to earn and win this nomination.”
The Democratic National Committee is expected to host a virtual vote on the presidential nomination in early August to meet an Ohio ballot-access deadline on Aug. 7.
However, voting might be reopened on the floor of the Democratic National Convention between Aug. 19-22 in Chicago — if lawmakers come forward to oppose Harris’ candidacy.
White House spokesman Andrew Bates confirmed in a subsequent statement that Biden “looks forward to finishing his term and delivering more historic results for the American people,” responding to Republican attacks about his ongoing fitness for public office.
Santiago Mayer, the executive director of Gen Z-led voter turnout group Voters of Tomorrow, told The Post that younger voters will be more excited for Harris given her age and her energy.
Mayer said Gen Z voters like Harris for her efforts on the “economy” and abortion rights initiatives and that she brings a level of “enthusiasm and energy” to the ticket that could rival Trump.
Specifically, Harris could push her “ceasefire” call for Gaza and could communicate that message better to younger voters than Biden did.
She’s “definitely a younger and a much more energetic candidate,” he said.
“I think we have seen that over the last few weeks with all the coconut tree videos.”
